Apple’s pro-encryption privacy standoff with the FBI may not have been in the news too much as of late, but Apple’s strong stance in favor of encryption continues to ruffle feathers among authorities.
Today. U.K. prime minister Theresa May gave a speech at the Tory party conference, in which she took what many are calling a veiled dig against Apple by referring to a “household name” that is refusing to work with officials to fight terrorism.
May also complained in the same speech about “an international company that treats tax laws as optional extras,” coming at a time when Apple has been in the news for its 13 billion euros ($14.52 billion) bill for unpaid back taxes in the Republic of Ireland.
“A change has got to come and this party is going to make it,” May continued.
Not being mentioned by name, it’s certainly possible that Apple isn’t the company May was referring to, but this is how it is being interpreted in the media.
It also wouldn’t represent a total change of heart for May. Previously she was behind the U.K.’s draft Investigatory Powers Bill, a.k.a. the “snooper’s charter,” which would force companies to create backdoors in encrypted services like iMessage. Apple has spoken out against this draft law by saying it would “hurt law-abiding citizens.”
Apple has frequently defended its own pro-ecnryption stance, with Tim Cook stating that: “At the end of the day, we’re going to fight the good fight not only for our customers but for the country. We’re in this bizarre position where we’re defending the civil liberties of the country against the government.”
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
2 responses to “U.K. prime minister takes possible shot at Apple for refusing to help fight terrorists”
Well, Apple…Bear in mind: Likewise USA, UK is a country where the government had very strong power upon citizens ! UK don’t have things like 5th emend and others legal devices like modern countries. We are medievals in many ways !
Just another government schmuck who wants power and control over people and the market.